This Easter Holiday, Southampton Music Hub’s DNA Programme is offering young people the chance to learn how to freestyle with one of the UK’s top battle rap MC’s, Tenchoo.

The virtual, interactive masterclass will help young people — and especially those who usually get free school meals — to find out more about rhythm, flow and sporadic rhymes, then have the chance to put their new skills to test.

The workshops, suitable for those in KS3 and up (aged 11+), is available free of charge thanks to Southampton City Council and the Holiday Activity Fund.

A young brass player taking part in the Symphony 125 project in 2019.

For those missing Strictly Come Dancing, Southampton Music Hub has put together a school’s ensemble performance project – Strictly Come Dance.

Southampton Youth Brass Band have been working on creating a virtual performance of Let’s Get Loud by Gloria Estefan and Flavio Santander. This performance will provide the backing track for the primary and secondary schools activity. Southampton Music Services teacher, John Hanchett, has written additional school parts for all instruments, levels and abilities as well creating the final video of SYBB’s performance.  

Southampton Youth Brass Band is directed by Paul Hart and the band’s assistant is Kevin Withell. Here Paul, Kevin and some band members talk about what it has meant to be part of this city-wide project and their experiences and achievements whilst rehearsals have had to be online.  

What has being part of the Let's Get Loud project meant for SYBB?

PH - Let's Get Loud has been an exciting project for the students, giving them something to work towards, with a new positive focus for the rehearsals.

What have the difficulties been preparing for the virtual performance of Let's Get Loud?

Player A - Learning the part, practicing it and following the conductor over the internet.

Is Let's Get Loud a breakaway from the music normally played by the band?

KW - The band is used to playing in a range of styles, and has worked in the past with other bands and choirs.  The idea of learning the parts without being able to play it together, and recording and videoing individually has been a new and challenging experience.

What have SYBB been able to achieve whilst rehearsing online?

PH - The achievements of SYBB Online will be easier to gauge once we're back to normality. The positives are that we still have a functioning band, full of students who have been given opportunities to keep on learning and playing throughout the lockdowns. They've been able to get a headstart on learning the music and their individual parts ahead of coming back together, and we've been able to maintain a sense of continuity with the students, both musically and socially.

What have the challenges been taking part in online rehearsals?

Player A - Internet connections and the loss of the band dynamic that’s present when we are all together.

What has really impressed you about the band whilst they have rehearsed online?

PH - What has impressed us most has been the continuing commitment from the large percentage of the band who have been logging in every week. Rehearsing online has required a lot of patience and open-mindedness from students and staff alike. The fact that these students have so much commitment to the band, that they have not shrunk away from the challenges of embracing an entirely new and often difficult way of rehearsing does them real credit.

What is your proudest moment of being a member of SYBB?

Player A - Playing in the concerts, it’s very rewarding to see all the hard work pay off !!

What are you looking forward to most when SYBB can meet face to face again?

Player B - Seeing my friends

Player A - I am most looking forward to playing in a full band, with the sound and dynamic that it will bring. I am especially looking forward to performing, so we can show off all of the progress we have made, with all of the hard work that we put in.

This term the schools up and down the country have been delighted to share in the successful 10 Minute Sign & Sing project.  The project has seen sign ups from as far afield as Rotherham, London, Leicestershire and Bedfordshire plus many local schools both in Southampton and the Isle of Wight.

Currently the hub is collecting videos of schools, classes, bubbles and individuals signing along to a song from the songbank, to be stitched together into a digital premiere performance on Monday 29th March over on the hub YouTube channel.

Participants will also be given a link to participate in a new sign and sing workshop which will be on the hub YouTube channel just before the premiere at 1.30pm on the same day.  

The deadline for video submissions is Wednesday 17th March but if you’re not yet signed up to participate in this there’s still time! Whether you’re a school bubble or an individual learning at home in isolation or a whole school participating you can get involved!

Nia Collins, Music Hub Relationship Manager, says:

“We know that currently schools are finding it challenging to find larger scale performance activities that pupils can safely get involved in and this project gives you the perfect vehicle to do so. Not only are we taking the hassle of the digital editing off your hands but we’re also offering schools the opportunity to come together and do something as a community post lockdown and start to build those vital connections again for children and young people”

In 2021, Southampton Music Hub is launching the Digital Native Artists Programme: an exciting approach, which sees young people empowered to take control of shaping, and leading, the music-making they want to be part of.

The programme is being run by two new, Digital Music Engagement Workers — Sheldon and Gurmaan — young digital artists themselves, who have been recruited thanks to new funding from Arts Council England. They’re being supported by the hub’s wider team, including music service tutors and hub partner organisations, to inspire young people to explore new genres of music, and empower them to create their own musical futures.

The programme has kicked off this month with two new opportunities:

1. Online Production and Songwriting: giving young people access to online tools to create new music alongside mentoring support to develop their songwriting and production skills.

Places are limited for now — and invites to take part have already been sent out by virtual school, social workers and more, making sure the young people who often miss out, get the first shot — but anyone interested in taking part can register their interest right now.

Listen to “Why So Lonely” by one of our young songwriters:

2. TikTok Tutorials: quick and easy videos to get young people inspired and skilled up.

These videos are quick to watch, but share tips, tricks and inside secrets on the world of songwriting, music production and more. You can subscribe, or watch online, and leave suggestions for videos you’d like to see in the comments.

We Need You

We’re not stoping there. Coming soon are masterclasses, workshops and more. But, we want to hear from the young and aspiring producers, songwriters and artists out there, so that they can shape, and even lead, the music-making opportunities the project offers.

Find Out More About The DNA Programme

Southampton Youth Concert Sinfonia (SYCS) is the training orchestra for the Southampton Music Hub’s flagship Southampton Youth Orchestra (SYO). Since September they have been having weekly online rehearsals and during February, they worked with composer Patrick Bailey, from the London Sinfonietta, on a composition project.

For this project, players from SYCS have jointly composed a new piece and have recorded themselves playing their parts. SYCS’s recordings will then form part of a larger composition performed by musicians from the London Sinfonietta in their live streamed school’s concert, “Sound Out 2021”. from the Turner Sims on Tuesday 23 March 2021.

Below is a conversation with joint directors, Anna Robinson and Kevin Withell, and young musicians from SYCS. about online rehearsals and the composition project.

What have been your aims for running SYCS rehearsals online?

AR: The primary aim for running SYCS rehearsals online has been to sustain the SYCS community through this unusual time. In addition to this, we have been wanting to use this time as opportunity to explore new projects and repertoire which we may not have explored if we were rehearsing in person. This has included exploring large scale works through the BBC ten pieces series such as Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, running an introduction to Alexander Technique with trained osteopath and Alexander Technique teacher Ian Traynar and an exciting compositional project with musicians from the London Sinfonietta.

Anna Robinson in rehearsal with SYCS.

What have you enjoyed about online rehearsals?

Player A: We still got to see each other and play pieces, like the video of A Million Dreams that we put together. Having the video altogether made it easier to share with friends and family.

Player B: Not feeling so embarrassed when you make a mistake. When you are online, no one can see or hear you.

What have been the challenges of achieving these aims?

KW: Being online affects ease of communication, and creates a difficulty in 'reading the room' - deciding whether to have a play through rehearsal or a nitty gritty rehearsal, what tone to strike and when to finish or move on from a section are largely down to guesswork. Not being able to help individual players and sections like we normally would makes us worried that certain players may be feeling left out.

What has impressed you the most about SYCS players taking part in online rehearsals?

AR: The continued positive attitude, humour and dedication that all players have bought to rehearsal which makes this orchestra so special! The enthusiasm and resilience of the members in this unusual situation has been amazing. If this situation has reinforced anything for me as a director, it is how incredible the young musicians of Southampton are. Their support for their peers and also their directors has been invaluable and as a result the community feel that SYCS is known is still very much present.

KW: The enthusiasm shown by all members coming along, and their willingness to accept the situation for what it is and help us to make the best of it.

What do you miss most about not being able to rehearse face to face?

Player C: I miss being able to follow a conductor, hearing and staying in time with the other musicians.

Player D: Playing as a group and being in contact with friends.

SYCS players in rehearsal.

Anna and Kevin why did you put SYCS forward to the Composition Challenge Project with London Sinfonietta?

AR: As a director, I received the information about the project and thought it was such a fantastic opportunity to work with professional musicians and work on a something completely different which ultimately will allow us to perform virtually with the London Sinfonietta at the end of March, an opportunity too exciting to pass up!

What do you think the group has gained from taking part?

KW: This has been an opportunity for SYCS players to access a part of their creativity that they normally wouldn't be encouraged to access in normal rehearsals. It has also been invaluable to GCSE and A-Level music students, and any younger students who are considering higher level music qualifications, who have benefitted from being introduced to new and different ways of approaching composition.

What have you enjoyed about the London Sinfonietta Composition Challenge project?

Player C: I have had a lot of fun contributing ideas into a composition and seeing how they develop.

Player D: We get think of our own tunes. It was tricky to think of it the mathematical way, but it was was interesting.

Have you done much composing before?

Player A: No, but I might try to compose something in the future for a school project (like when you do a video in IT and you need to add music, I can add my own). Making music with numbers was also really fun.

Player B: Yes. It was nice to be faced with new/different opportunities and challenges.

SYCS concentrating during a SYCS rehearsal.

What are your online plans for the rest of this term.?

AR: We are going to continue to explore a range of repertoire from BBC Ten Pieces including West Side Story’s Mambo. We also have a rehearsal which lands on St Patrick’s day, so we are going to take the opportunity to explore folk music with a folk specialist. We will round off the term celebrating the range of repertoire and styles we have explored and watching our London Sinfonietta performance as an orchestra.

KW: To continue providing varied and exciting musical projects for the students, exploring a range of musical styles, and keeping their passion for the orchestra alive while we wait to come back to normal.

Young musicians taking part in a music project with Portsmouth Music Hub

Children and young people who are currently missing out on making music will have the opportunity to take part in, and even lead, new music-making activities thanks to an exciting new project from the  South West Coastal Music Hub Alliance, made possible thanks to new funding from Youth Music.

The five music hubs in the alliance — Southampton; Isle of Wight; Dorset; Portsmouth; and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole — are working together to reach out to children and young people who are missing out on learning and making music because of their background or life circumstances. 

Thanks to the support of five new “Youth Voice Engagement Workers”, the initiative will help these young people to shape and lead exciting “Action Research” projects: testing out new ideas and approaches which will help more children and young people access music in the future.

This initiative is supported by Youth Music, using public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

Matt Brombley, Development Manager at Southampton and IOW Music Hubs, says:
“This is an excellent opportunity, and we are so grateful to Youth Music for making it possible. It might be because of where they live, their background, or the challenging life circumstances they find themselves in, but we know that too many children and young people miss out on the incredible power of music to make their lives better. This initiative will help to change that. We want to hear the voices of the children and young people who miss out on music, and, more importantly, we want them to help us shape and change the music making opportunities available to them, and others like them, in the future.”

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Job Opportunities

The music hubs that form the South West Coast Music Hub Alliance are looking to recruit Youth Voice Engagement Workers to help make our music hubs more inclusive, by engaging, listening to, and responding to the voices of under-represented young people: helping them shape, and lead, the music-making opportunities available to them.

On Sunday 7 February 2021, at 2pm, Art Asia hosts an online celebration of the community art project, ‘Belonging’.

This free event will feature stories, poems, and the debut of a brand performance of ‘Naya Rasta — Sailing Towards a New Horizon’: a digital collaboration made up of video performances from musicians across the city. Included among the contributions will be iPad performances from Matt Brombley, who lead’s the music hub’s technology provision.

Matt Brombley says:
”Even though recorded alone at home, this was such an exciting project to take part in. I can’t wait to hear the ways other performers have, from their homes, re-imagined and been inspired by the music and the stories Art Asia have shared. To be able to be a part of something with others, to work on something together even though we are apart, is so wonderful.”

This term Southampton Music Hub is offering as many people as possible the exciting opportunity to join in with Big 10 Minute Sign & Sing — no matter where you are in the country!  Whether you’re a school bubble, or an individual learning at home. or a whole school participating, everyone can get involved.  

Those taking part can choose any song from the Song Bank to participate in this project (you can find songs on the website or YouTube channel), use the 10 minute Teaching video to learn the signs and/or body percussion and practise with the performance video.  When you are ready you can submit videos of your class bubble in school, multiple bubbles and pupils learning from home can submit their own individual videos to be included.

The hub’s brilliant digital team will stitch together the videos and premiere them as part of a national event, on YouTube on Monday 29th March at 1.30pm.

Monday 29th March Online workshop and Premiere

Join the music hub on the afternoon of 29th March at 1.30pm over on the 10 Minute Sing & Sing YouTube channel to participate in a new Pop Medley Sign & Sing workshop and watch the live premiere of your performances!

Find out more about the event at https://www.southamptonmusichub.org/big10

Nia Collins, Music Hub Relationship Manager, says:
“We know many of our schools are using 10 Minute Sign & Sing as part of their in-school and home learning activities during the current lockdown and that we are all missing the opportunity to take part in events and performances. What better way to build community and connect with each other than to combine all our activities into one nationwide project – so excited to see the final performances!” 

Today, Changing Tracks release their annual findings and review in to inclusion for music services.

Southampton Music Services, the lead partner for Southampton Music Hub, takes part in the Changing Tracks network, and earlier this year, took part in an Action Research Project with Looked After Families which has contributed to this review.

About Changing Tracks:

Changing Tracks is a programme of support and learning for and with music services wanting to improve equality, diversity and inclusion. It is run by Hertfordshire Music Service and funded by Youth Music. It was previously called MusicNet East. Changing Tracks members are helping each other to be more inclusive through a peer network facilitated by Music Mark, funding for action research, support and challenge, advice and resources.

About the Alliance for a Musically Inclusive England

The network is part of the Alliance for a Musically Inclusive England.

The Alliance is a growing network of organisations working together to:

• promote equity in music education

• support others to do the same through advocacy, CPD, resources, and strategic alliances.

What does being musically inclusive involve?

Musically inclusive practice involves making sure young people’s music is HEARD:

• Holistic: placing emphasis on personal, social and musical outcomes

• Equitable: people facing the biggest barriers receive the most support

• Authentic: developed with and informed by the people we do it for

• Representative: the people we work with as participants and colleagues reflect our diverse society

• Diverse: all musical genres, styles, practices are valued equally

Schools, children and families across Southampton and Isle of Wight have been enjoying joining in with last week’s “10 Minute Sign & Sing” videos:

I did 'Try Everything' with the whole school on Friday… They absolutely loved it!!

It was fantastic standing at the front and watching the concentration on their faces as they signed along with Kelly.. she was really great - so clear.

— Jill (teacher at Beechwood School)

Sandra, is a music teacher at Great Oaks, a secondary school for young people with a range of complex learning difficulties including autism and speech and language difficulties, and she says:

I really like this new song… thank you for your hard work in putting these songs and the signing together. I like the fact the signing is Makaton!

And for schools who are seeing disruption to their usual music making, the videos have helped to create new, exciting shared music experiences:

These are fab!  That's fantastic as we can't do our Christmas Nativity do want to do something different for parents…

— Laura, teacher at Newchurch & Nettlestone Primary schools

This week Southampton and Isle of Wight Music Hubs launch a new “10 Minute Sign & Sing” series — weekly videos to help children enjoy making music safely in class, and at home.

All the songs include step-by-step instructions to help everyone enjoy singing along, as well as signing along using fun and easy Makaton signs.

Whilst Covid-19 restrictions mean that, for some, whole-school singing assemblies may not currently be possible, these quick ten minute videos can keep music at the heart of daily school life in a new way — as part of class or year group “bubbles”. As an added bonus, videos can be sent home to children self-isolating, so that no one misses out on making music this year.

Makaton Foundation says:
”For those not familiar with Makaton, it is a unique language programme that combines signs, symbols and spoken word to aid with communication and understanding new ideas. Using Makaton with Singing is a fun and easy way to learn to use signs with singing for young children. Signing and singing have been shown to encourage the development of communication and language skills and are beneficial for vocalisation, confidence, social skills, emotional development, well-being and self-esteem.”

Each week the team will be creating video resources covering two songs: one for Early Years and Key Stage 1; and the other suitable for Key Stages 2–3. Children with Special Educational Needs can join in with whichever song they like best — all the songs come with Makaton signs and instructions, and can be enjoyed by everybody.

The music hub has partnered with Welsh National Opera as part of this project and their fantastic vocal practitioners — opera singers and workshop leaders Emily Rooke and Dalma Sinka — will be creating the videos for Early Years and Key Stage 1.

Nia Collins, Music Hub Relationship Manager, says:
“By keeping videos quick and accessible we hope to encourage regular, short singing, to take place on a daily basis in a well-ventilated classrooms and homes throughout the year. As government guidance outlines, singing a little and often is absolutely possible and we believe the health and wellbeing benefits that come with this are absolutely vital to children and young people.”

10 Minute Sign & Sing is part of the Everybody Sing Song Bank:

Earlier this term, Southampton and Isle of Wight Music Hubs shared their response to Barry Carpenter’s Recovery Curriculum with schools teachers and leaders across the region.

Artswork — the South’s Arts Council Bridge Organisation — hosted a webinar called “Supporting Pupil Wellbeing and Reconnecting with Learning through Creativity” where the hubs presented the way the recovery curriculum had informed planning and projects for the year ahead. The event featured a keynote from Professor Dame Alison Peacock, CEO of the Chartered College of Teaching, and was well attended by schools, as well as arts professionals from across the South .

About the Recovery Curriculum:

The Recovery Curriculum outlines five losses and five levers of recovery for children and young people.

Loses:

1. Routine

2. Structure

3. Opportunity

4. Friendship

5. Freedom

Levers of Recovery:

1. Relationships

2. Community

3. Transparent curriculum

4. Metacognition

5. Space

Sharing the hubs’ approach

In the virtual session, Nia Collins, Relationship Manager for Southampton and Isle of Wight Music Hubs, shared how projects and plans for the year ahead are designed to address the five losses through specific music-making activities which build upon the five levers for recovery.

In the session, the hub also shared a growing body of evidence showing that music can have a positive impact on both social, emotional and wider academic outcomes for children and young people in the longer term.

Nia Collins, Music Hub Relationship Manager said:

“Huge thanks to Artswork for inviting the music hubs to be part of such a wonderful event and for bringing us together with the other brilliant speakers and a great number of teachers too. I came away inspired and hopeful for our children and young people, seeing the passion and compassion that our educators and arts colleagues have at this extraordinary time has motivated me even more to continue on this path of putting health and wellbeing at the forefront of what we do in the Music Hub.

The role of music in supporting the health and wellbeing of pupils, and in particular how this can be so closely tied in with schools’ recovery curriculum planning, is an incredible opportunity to broaden the curriculum. We should absolutely take in this extraordinary year.”

Today, Southampton Music Hub launches “Black Lives Matter: Songwriter Sessions” — a new ebook resource featuring performances and interviews with Sheldon Hamilton McKenzie and Sal Resco Chitulu.

Through their music, and in conversation, these two talented local artists share their music and their stories: helping us to better understand where their music comes from.

Southampton and IOW Music Hubs are celebrating Black History Month with Calypsonian, musician and educator, Alexander D Great. Thanks to exciting new digital resources, children and young people will gain a fascinating insight into the music of Trinidad and Tobago, as well as an understanding of Alex’s experiences growing up as part of the Windrush Generation.

Each set of videos features performances of Alex’s unique Calypso songs; storytelling in the Griot style; historical background to Windrush, and the origins of Calypso; as well as help for schools to compose their own calypso music. These digital resources are available for all schools in the region, with versions suitable for ages 5–18 years old.

During the month of October, Alex will also be visiting the Isle of Wight, thanks to a collaboration with hub partners The New Carnival Company and the Isle of Wight Heritage team. On Wednesday 14 October 2020, will be performing and speaking about his experiences at an evening event in Brading Roman Villa .  

Also, in February 2021. Southampton and IOW Music Hubs will follow up this resource with a Calypso writing project, led again by Alexander. This will focus on writing songs telling pupil’s own stories from lockdown and the lasting effects of Covid-19 in their lives.  

Nia Collins, Music Hub Relationship Manager, says:
“Alex is such an incredible polymath and I can’t wait for them to enjoy his colourful evocations of the past and present through songs and storytelling. His enthusiasm and engaging style will no doubt captivate pupils’ imaginations and inspire their creative responses. As part of the recovery curriculum this year it is vital that we give pupils the space for self-expression and to rebuild their relationships with each other through shared experiences while still safely offering them the same high quality opportunities we always have which I believe this project does”

Southampton and IOW Music Hubs are looking to recruit a talented young (18–25), BAME music artist and/or producer, who is passionate to work with younger musicians, producers and performers: helping them discover digital music genres, build musical and personal skills, and move forward towards better musical futures.

This role is part of the new ‘Digital Native Artists (DNA) Programme’ which has been funded by Art Council England.

Working across electronic dance music genres, modern rap and hip-hop genres (including grime, trap and drill) and progressive R&B and pop genres, you will help build a diverse and inclusive programme of music making and learning.

You will use your music and production skills to develop and deliver a programme of digital music resources, workshops, and events which engage with aspiring young musicians in schools and other settings across the region. The programme will enable participants to improve their musical skills, develop new personal skills, and inspire them to continue making music in the future.

This a development role, and training and support will be given to help build your teaching and learning skills, as well as mentoring and support to help you develop a wide range of professional skills for working within formal and informal education settings.

This role is a one year (48 weeks), fixed-term contract, for one day per week (6–8 hours) starting in Autumn 2020. Salary is £400 per month, £4,800 total.

Get in touch to send a CV, covering letter and a link to examples of your music.

Applications should be received no later than 12noon on Friday 16 October 2020.
Interviews, via Google Meet, will take place during the week beginning Monday 19 October 2020.

Art Asia are offering four creative ways to explore the Mayflower story:

“The Mayflower Story began with the epic voyage of the pilgrims, in search of the New World and finding their site of belonging. It is a story of persecution, hope and challenges they encounters as they negotiated a new regrouping of communities to call it home. The Mayflower story has a double edge — the pilgrim finding a new home but at the same time displacing the indigenous people and paving the way for colonialism. It is important to recognise this. At a time when we are living through some extraordinary times, not only because of the pandemic but because of inequalities and entrenched racism in society ‘Belonging’ attempts to bring the lives and stories of the new settlers in Southampton.

Art Asia are offering creative responses, including singing, storytelling and craft, and are inviting Southampton’s communities to respond.

As a new school year begins, and teachers welcome back pupils once again, Southampton Music Hub is working with schools to keep music at the heart of creative learning communities. Much about the year ahead can feel very uncertain, however, the whole team are dedicated to responding to challenges in the same spirit as they have done before: keeping our focus on bringing the life-changing power of music to every child in the city.

Here are a few of the ways we’re getting ready to do just that:

Empowering and developing teachers

This year, instrumental and vocal teachers are being given extra time to plan and prepare for the year ahead. The team are having training sessions with educational psychologists, to better understand the personal and emotional challenges young musicians are facing, and how music lessons can be part of the response. There will be training on how to recognise and nurture the personal and social development of young musicians, as well as training on how, where it may still be needed, online music lessons can be the best they can be, for all involved.

Additionally, “Music for Wellbeing” guides for schools use music a tool for helping children understand and overcome the emotional challenges faced throughout the coronavirus pandemic. The hub is empowering and developing teachers so that young musicians can reach their fullest potential.

Special guidance and practices

Working together with school’s, Southampton Music Hub is helping to keep all children, teachers and the community as safe as possible, including guidance around good hygiene, social distancing, engaging with NHS Test and Trace, as well music specific risk assessments. Music can only change lives for the better, when we first keep each other safe, and these new practices will help happen.

Blended delivery

Not all music can be face-to-face, at least, not yet, and so online and remote music-making will still be a core part of the hub’s offer. But online is not just a second-best option. Digital workshops open up capacity, so that more schools can be inspired by world-class musicians and composers. Ensembles will continue to develop their exciting digital performance programmes which can reach a bigger, broader audience, in the year ahead too. Online music lessons will also continue for some, where needed, enabling musical learning to continue when face-to-face lessons are not possible. By blending online and face-to-face music-making — embracing the best of both — the hub is able to make sure more children than ever can access music.

Looking ahead

Every new year brings new possibilities, including new challenges, and this year, that is particularly true. But music has a unique role to play, helping bring people together, helping us understand ourselves and each other better, and helping us to imagine a bright future for our schools and communities.

As another school year comes to an end, Southampton Music Hub looks back on a year which has been unlike any other.

Mayflower 400

Symphony 400: The Voyage

The year, and our Mayflower 400 journey, began in four primary schools, where composer James Redwood collected musical ideas inspired by the Mayflower story. 

Over the next few months, those ideas inspired a momentous musical voyage for a new orchestra of 100 talented secondary musicians, alongside digital remixes and resources for others to play and create for themselves.

Big Sing: The Journey

Alongside Symphony 400, Southampton Music Hub partnered with Mayflower Theatre to take inspirational songs from their newly commissioned musicals to school children across the city. The songs inspired and motivated hundreds of hours of workshops and rehearsals for young singers.

Southampton: A Musical Odyssey 

In early March, over 1000 young musicians performed two nights of unforgettable music at the Mayflower Theatre, with a programme of music which included musical performances of all shapes and sizes, including the debuts of Symphony 400: The Voyage and Big Sing: The Journey.

“I was really nervous — I’ve  never done anything like this before — but being with my friends, I was able to get on stage and sing with everybody!” 

— year four pupil from Hollybrook Junior School

Responding to Covid-19

Just a few weeks after the unforgettable events at the Mayflower Theatre — a celebration of the passion, creativity and resilience of the city’s young musicians — the country went into lockdown in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and that same passion, creativity and resilience was shown once again, in the face of unprecedented circumstances. 

In the past few months...

• Southampton Music Services has moved over 600 music lessons online

• City ensembles have created a virtual concert programme

• Pizza boxes of music-making activities have been sent to shielded children

• A new Soundbites Digital programme has allowed First Access to continue in schools and at home

• ‘The Greatest Friend’ encouraged children to look after their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of others

• Weekly instrumental and curriculum newsletters have supported schools and home learners

• Resources from the Synthesis project have inspired independent electronic music-making

At every stage, young musicians and all those that support them — from their families to music teachers, to hub partners and beyond — have shown incredible resilience, creativity and passion for keeping music playing.

Looking Ahead

There are so many uncertainties ahead, and as Southampton Music Hub charts out a plan for returning in September, the challenges ahead feel huge. Not least of all because we know of the huge emotional burden that has been placed on the city’s young musicians over these past months, being separated from the friends and musical communities they love. 

Nights like Mayflower Theatre in March, and the incredible response of the past few months, serve as a reminder of what can be achieved when people come together and unlock the passion, creativity and resilience of the city’s young people and communities. 

Young rock musicians from Southampton have kept their rock bands going throughout lockdown, working hard to turn their usual rehearsals and concerts into virtual band practices, and now, video performances too!

On Tuesday 14 and Thursday 16 July 2020 Southampton Music Hub and Southampton Music Trust will host two virtual concerts to celebrate the achievements of some of the city’s most talented young musicians.

These ‘Award Holder’ musicians receive additional support throughout the year. Through one-to-one music lessons, ensemble membership and instrumental loans, their incredible talents are nurtured to fully flourish.

For those young musicians who face challenging circumstances in their lives, Southampton Music Trust provides free support which means that talented young musicians, who can benefit the most, get to enjoy the life-changing power of music.